


Family Trip to The Fountain

by RunWithWolves



Series: 25 Days of Sweetheart [24]
Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, domestic hollstein, parent hollstein
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-16
Updated: 2017-11-16
Packaged: 2019-02-03 09:52:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12745953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RunWithWolves/pseuds/RunWithWolves
Summary: When Laura comes home from work to find her two year old daughter napping on her wife's chest, her heart grows three sizes. It's been years since Carmilla lost her spark, even longer since Silas, and as happy as Laura's been she's never stopped looking for a solution to being a mortal in love with an immortal. Today, she's found something that might work.Carmilla's not about to let Laura go traipsing through the jungle alone so it becomes a family trip to go find the fountain of youth. Bringing a mischievous two year old to the jungle? What could go wrong?





	Family Trip to The Fountain

**Author's Note:**

> Family Hollstein in a canon world. I just had to write it.   
> All I want is them to be haaaaaappy.

“Carm!” Laura slammed into the apartment, eyes wide with excitement. Then froze at the sight before her, only breathing again when no-one stirred. Carmilla was laying on the couch, eyes closed. A familiar sight and enough to make her smile. 

What stole her breath entirely was their daughter sleeping on Carmilla’s chest. Her tiny toddler feet ensconced in booties as her mop of dark hair was a curly mess, one hand clinging to Carmilla’s chin even in sleep. Carmilla had a hand on her back, keeping her steady. Gold ring glinting on her hand. 

Laura padded softly into the room, dropping her bag and sitting on the couch arm. Softly she ran her fingers through Carmilla’s hair, “Carm,” she whispered, “I need you to wake up.”

Carmilla purred into her hand and Laura smiled, kissing the vampire’s nose, “Come on sleepy. Wake up.”

Her eyes opened slowly, hand tightening on their daughter as Carmilla stared up at her, “Hey cutie.”

“Hey,” Laura kept combing her fingers through Carmilla’s hair, “I can you’re hard at work. Such a good housewife.”

Carmilla rolled her eyes but still turned into Laura’s touch, “It should not be so hard to get her down for a nap. I should be pulling a CEO salary just for the conflict negotiations.”

Laura hummed, letting Carmilla pull her onto the couch to be used as a pillow, “Alex does love the word ‘no’.”

“Gets it from you,” Carmilla said. Then she frowned, “Wait. It’s like 2pm. Why are you home? It’s not Thursday is it?”

“Sadly,” Laura said, “No.”

Thursdays were the day she got to leave early, leading into her day off on Friday. Laura worked because she loved it but she wasn’t about to miss her daughter growing up or a single hour of her limited time with Carmilla. With Carmilla’s large inheritance, she didn’t need to.

“I’ve got a new assignment that we have to talk about,” Laura said, “It’s kind of important.”

Carmilla made to sit up but the tiny child grumbled, kicking in her sleep. Chuckling, Laura picked Alex up, kissing her as she practically melted into Laura’s side. Tiny brown eyes opened, “Don’t wanna.”

“Hey sweetie,” Laura said, “It’s just Mommy. Let’s give Mama a break okay? Go back to sleep.” Breath held, they watched as Alex slowly fell asleep again. Tiny snores pressed to Laura’s breastbone. 

Carmilla sat up, slinging an arm around the back of the couch to pull Laura and Alex closer, “What’s going on, cupcake?”

Laura paused then let the words out, “There have been unconfirmed reports of a fountain of youth in Brazil. Mel, Kirsch and I are going to check it out.”

“A fountain of youth,” Carmilla said slowly, “And if you find it?”

“I’m going to try it.” Laura said. Breath held. A hundred past conversations whirling through her head.

“Laura,” Carmilla’s voice was pained as she pressed her forehead to Laura’s temple, “You never wanted that. I never wanted it for you. I didn’t even want eternal life. I’m just stuck with it.”

Laura shook her head, clinging tighter to Alex, “I know. I know! But, I hate growing older while you stay the same. I hate thinking of you having to watch me die. I’d rather live forever with you then enjoy a normal mortal life. You chose to give up your spark, Carm.” She let herself fall a little deeper into Carmilla’s grasp, “Let me make this choice.”

“And Alex?” Carmilla tried in vain to brush their daughter’s hair into something presentable with her fingertips.

Laura’s throat clogged, “You were always going to have to watch her die. Now we’ll just have to do it together. A long long time from now.” She added. “We’ll do it like we always have.”

Carmilla sagged underneath her and Laura knew the point was won.

“You said Brazil?” Carmilla said at last, “When do we leave?”

“We?” Laura jolted and Alex woke up, grumbling, “Carm. You have to say here with Alex.”

Carmilla shook her head, “You said we’ll do this how we always do, cupcake. If you think you’re going to do this alone, you’ve got another think coming. We do this together. Besides,” Carmilla added, “Do you really think the 3 of you will survive in the jungle without me?” 

#

“Laura,” Carmilla was giving her a look but Laura didn’t care, “No. I’m not wearing that thing.”

“But you have to! We’re doing a lot of walking today. Just let me grab it. You’ll see. It’s great!” Laura kissed Carmilla’s perfect cheek and then scampered off to check the supply tent. The jungle rustled around her, animals and bugs living in relative oblivion to the reporter and vampire in their midst. She dove into the supplies, frowning slightly at the twinge of pain in her back.

The price of getting older. 

Still, the pain vanished when she found what she was looking for and darted back to Carmilla, “Found it.”

Ignoring Carmilla’s complaints, Laura carefully strapped the baby carrier to her body. Every time Carmilla complained, Laura let her fingers drift over Carmilla’s skin as she reached for one strap or another. If nothing else, Carmilla was easy to distract. When she was done, Laura stepped back, “See it’s great!”

Carmilla looked down, “I’m not wearing this.”

Laura fought the edges of her smile as she tapped her chin. Even she could admit that seeing Carmilla, the 300+ year old dead then undead then dead again vampire, strapped into a baby carrier was ridiculous. That didn’t mean she didn’t think it was a good idea. The jungle was dangerous.

“Well,” Laura said, “Let’s see what Alex thinks.”

Carmilla’s eyes went wide, “Laura! Don’t let Me-”

Laura shook Mel’s tent and it was too late. There was a zipping sound as the tent was opened and her producer glared out at her, “About time Hollis. I’m not getting paid to babysit your suicidal progeny.” Her harsh words were undercut by the way she let the two year old on her lap practically crawl onto her shoulders, a steadying hand helping to push her the rest of the way to sit gleefully on Mel’s shoulders. 

Alex’s eyes brightened when she saw Laura, tiny hands extending, “Mommy!”

Laughing, Laura scooped her up and pressed kisses to her face, “Did you have fun with Auntie Mel? Say thank you.”

“Tank you!” Alex agreed, waving at Mel and nearly hitting Laura in the face with her enthusiasm.

Mel sighed but waved back. “You’re lucky I like the kid better than you, Hollis.”

Laura lowered her voice, “Would it make you like me more if I told you that I finally got Carmilla into that baby carrier we brought for Alex?”

Mel’s gaze turned wicked and her hand went for her phone, “I need photos.”

Carmilla was struggling with the straps when Laura emerged from the tent, clear frustration on her face as she couldn’t figure out how to get the thing off without just ripping it.

“Mama!” Alex shouted. 

Head popping up, Carmilla’s face softened immediately and Laura’s heart turned to goo, “Hey, peanut.” She kissed Alex on the forehead, “Did you have a fun sleepover?”

“Cookies!” Alex confirmed.

Carmilla gave Laura a look, “Wonder where she gets that gene from?”

There was no time to answer when Laura was too busy trying to keep Alex from tumbling out of her arms. Frowning, Alex tugged on the straps on Carmilla’s body that held the baby carrier in place, “Mama. What dis?”

“That,” Carmilla said, “Is your mother’s solution to the fact that you keep getting into heaps of trouble. Definitely another Hollis gene.”

Laura sighed, hoisting Alex higher on her hip. She loved her daughter but her tendency to get into trouble was starting to become legendary. Yesterday, she’d wandered off just long enough to try and befriend a giant venomous snake. The day before, Carmilla had barely caught her in time to keep her from going swimming in the river. 

Not to mention, it was like a constant game of ‘what is Alex eating and is it poisonous?’. 

Kirsch was usually to blame for that one. The cameraman would eat anything himself. 

“Look,” Laura said, “Just try it please?”

Both of her girls grumbled but a few minutes later, Laura stepped back to the adorable sight of Alex strapped to Carmilla’s chest and bouncing in the harness as she glared out at the world. Uncertain as to if she liked this new method of transport. 

“Oh, today just got so much better.” The snap of a camera announced Mel’s presence.

“Dudes! That’s so cool!” Kirsch flailed his way from his tent, “Baby bro has a sweet new ride.”

“Mama!” Alex cried, wiggling, “Mama! Down. Now.”

Carmilla just gave Laura a massive look of exasperation. Laura could only smile and snap her own photo. 

#

Two hours later, Laura was struggling to carry her pack through the thick jungle while trying to hold a map and a compass. Mel was in front of her, wielding a machete and cursing at the jungle. Kirsch groaned behind her, desperately trying not to drop the camera equipment or the tent.

Still, the happy gurgle to her left put a smile on Laura’s face. At least someone was finally enjoying themselves without wandering off.

Then she turned and her eyes went wide. 

“Mommy!” Alex shouted, “Mama cat!” Then she buried her hands in thick black panther fur the same colour as her own hair, petting Carmilla.

Laura fought to hold back her smile.

The panther smirked at her. Carmilla had somehow turned the baby carrier around so that it was on her back and Alex was able to lay with her belly tucked against Carmilla’s fur. Flicking her tail, Carmilla pranced around the jungle easily while the humans struggled along. 

“No fair bro,” Kirsch moaned.

Alex blew him a kiss.

#

There was less smiling when, two hours later, Laura found the entire carrier ripped from Carmilla’s body and Alex shoved in her arms. With the briefest pause to kiss her, Carmilla was gone again. A whoosh of air.

The didn’t keep Laura from feeling Carmilla’s fangs.

She held Alex tight against her, covering her ears as a roar vibrated through the jungle. Her face pale as the sounds of fighting filled her ears. It was easy to forget that more dangerous things than snakes and panthers lived in this particular jungle.

When Carmilla returned, blue blood dripping from her fingers despite an attempt to hastily wipe them away, she took the pack from Laura’s shoulder. A simple shake of her head saying she didn’t want to talk about it. 

With human legs, she walked beside Laura as Alex sung soft songs. 

#

When the jungle finally spat them out at the edge of the river, a waterfall thundering on the horizon. Laura was covered in a layer of mud and bug bites, her ‘explorer’s hat’ lopsided.

All through dinner, she couldn’t stop staring at the waterfall. 

At what supposedly lay behind it.

She curled up in Carmilla’s arms once the tent was up, Alex tucked between them as Carmilla buried her face in Laura’s hair and breathed deep.

When she woke up it was with Carmilla sprawled out over her chest, a hand pressed under her shirt against her heartbeat, and Alex literally lying on top of her face. Laura smiled, pulling her daughter off her head. Alex grumbled and Laura’s heart expanded at the grumpy little grumble, “No.” 

Curious, she poked Carmilla next. 

“No.” Carmilla grumbled and buried her face back in Laura’s skin.

Laura’s laughter woke them both up.

#

Leaving Kirsch and Mel outside the cave to set up the equipment, Laura ventured inside. Carmilla was right behind her, Alex in her arms. As they walked through the waterfall, Alex shrieked with joy and raised her hands to the water. “Play Mama!”

Carmilla looked more disgruntled. Very much the wet cat with her hair plastered to her head, “Not right now, peanut. We have to be quiet.”

“Sneaky?” Alex asked. Eyes wide. She loved being sneaky. 

One of Laura’s favourite memories was helping Alex scare Carmilla while she was reading. Carmilla had gotten actual airtime, the book flying across the room, as she’d faked a reaction to make Alex giggle. 

Big bad softie vampire who spent every day pretending to be human. 

“Sneaky.” Carmilla confirmed. 

Alex’s sneaky face was a nose crinkle. 

Still, the cave was quiet as they walked forward. Nothing but their steps echoing off the cave walls to bounce back to their own ears. Shadows flickered off the red-tinged rock as light tried to pierce the waterfall to cast illumination on the cave. Laura reached out to find Carmilla already doing the same. Their fingers slotted together as they moved deeper. 

Eventually the light from the outside disappeared and Alex whimpered, burying her face in Carmilla’s neck. But she stayed quiet. Sneaky.

“Can you see anything?” Laura whispered. 

She felt Carmilla squeeze her hand, “There’s light up ahead.”

And there was, but not what Laura was expecting. The cave slowly began glowing a light green and Alex’s eyes went wide as she stared up at the ceiling. Laura couldn’t blame her. The moss growing on the walls and roof of the cave was florescent, casting everything in a soft green glow like it had been touched by fairy dust or moonlight.

“Laf will kill themselves that they didn’t get a sample of this,” Carmilla muttered.

Laura smiled. 

It vanished when the cave’s pathway opened into a small circular room. Lit only the green glow of the moss, there was a small pool at the center. Nothing to look at but in the light of the fluorescence it seemed to glow an eerie blue. As though lit from underneath. 

Holding her breath, Laura peered over the edge. 

She couldn’t see a bottom. 

“Welcome to the waters.” a soft voice whispered through the cavern and Carmilla’s hand was on her arm, pulling Laura back into her side while the other hand held Alex just a little bit closer. Fangs bared. 

The voice remained calm, seemingly coming from everywhere at once. Light and solemn all at once. “Choose carefully.”

Laura peered into the glow, “So. Excuse me. Fountain guardian voice thing. I heard a rumour this is the fountain of youth. Any comment on that?”

“Really?” Carmilla muttered, “Are you trying to get a disembodied voice to answer like an article source.”

Laura shrugged, “Fountain Of Youth implies it’s just going to age me down. If that’s the case, I don’t drink it now. I bottle it up and drink when I’m 80. I don’t need to be aged down to the same age as Alex!”

Alex who was examining Carmilla’s fangs with her tiny fingers, “Mama’s teef pointy.”

Carmilla pulled the hand out of her mouth, “And you’re just asking this now?”

“I did research!” Laura insisted, “But it’s not consistent. The Eternal Fountain iconography pops up everywhere but sometimes it just de-ages you and other times it makes you immortal by granting you eternal life. Sometimes it just makes you literally invincible. We’ve got to know what we’re dealing with here. Considering your mother, I even looked into the Gilgamesh angle but he wasn’t exactly successful at the whole immortality thing, was he?”

Carmilla looked up at ceiling, “Yo. We’ve survived a lot of supernatural stuff and I’m tired. Help us out or I’ll find a way disembowel you.”

“Carm!” Laura put her hands on Alex’s ears.

Carmilla sighed, ““Yo. We’ve survived a lot of supernatural stuff and I’m tired. Help us out or I’ll find a way disembowel you. Please.”

“Pwease!” Alex repeated, nodding fiercely. 

Laura paused to look her in the eye, “No matter what Mama tells you, disemboweling people is bad and we don’t do it.”

Alex blinked, “Pwease?” 

There was no reply from the ceiling. Laura huffed, looking back into the pool, “Well, that’s not helpful at all.” She squatted beside it. Paused. Staring into it’s depths, “I think I’m going to try it anyway.”

“Laura!” Carmilla said, “No. You can’t just throw yourself into a strange pool.”

“Well I’m not going to come all this way and not do anything!” Laura said, “At least let me take a sample back to Laf for testing.”

The cave shook, light blinking out. Laura careened into Carmilla, gripping at her and hiding Alex between them.

“Or not!” Laura shouted over the noise, “We could also not do that!”

The shaking stopped immediately and the glow returned. 

When she looked up, Carmilla was staring at the water, “I’ll try it first.” she said at last.

“What?” Laura gaped, “Carm? Why?”

“Because you don’t want to be immortal, Laura,” Carmilla closed her eyes.

“Of course I do!” Laura interjected, “That’s the whole reason we-”

“If I wasn’t immortal,” Carmilla turned her gaze on her, eyes fierce, “if I was just a normal human, would you want this for us? Two immortals instead of mortals? Would you want to be immortal for the sake of it.”

“Carm.” Laura shook her head, “I. You.”

“Laura.”

Laura threw her hands in the air, “No. Okay? No. But you are and if that’s what you are then this is what I want to be. Is it ideal? No. Do I want to watch Alex die? No. But I meant it when I said together, Carm. We do this whole thing together for as long as we can and if that’s eternity then so be it.”

There were tears in her eyes and Alex looked alarmed, reaching for her, “Mommy?” Laura took her and she patted Laura’s cheeks, “Mommy okay? Alex make better.”

She kissed Laura softly on the cheek. As soft as a butterfly kiss. 

Carmilla kissed the other one, hovering over her skin, “At least let me try it first, cupcake. If it’s something dangerous then I’m better to survive it. After 300 years, I can afford to lose a couple decades and at worst I physically age back from 25 to 18. Can’t make me more immortal than immortal.”

Laura sighed.

“Please?” Carmilla added.

She nudge Alex who turned on the pout and repeated, “Pwease?”

“That’s cheating,” Laura mumbled. She surged upward and kissed Carmilla on the lips. “Be careful.” She breathed against them. 

“Always.” Carmilla promised. She gave them both a kiss again then turned to the water. Turning, Carmilla gave them a cocky smile and, before Laura could tell her not to, she saluted and literally jumped into the pool.

Laura’s heart flew into her throat. She rushed to the edge, “You could have just sipped it!”

There was silence. Silence. Even Alex frowning in concentration as the pool started bubbling, spewing, and frothing. The water turned black. Laura clutched Alex tighter.

“Carm!” she shouted “Carmilla!”

The water bubbled more fiercely. Her eyes darted around, trying to figure out anything she could do. 

She covered Alex’s ears and shouted at the ceiling, “If she dies, then I will disembowel you!”

“Pwease!” Alex threw out. The ear covering obviously ineffective.

Carmilla surged from the water, limbs flailing as a giant gasp for air filled the room. Laura rushed back to the pool, her stomach still swirling in fear as Carmilla struggled to pull herself from the water. 

She shouldn’t have struggled. 

Carmilla fell onto land, heaving for air. Laura dropped her knees, brushing Carmilla’s hair from her face, “Carm?” Her hands were shaking, “Carm? Please. Come back to me. To us? Please?”

“Mama?” Alex’s voice was small and it broke Laura’s heart.

Carmilla’s eyes flickered open, “Hey cupcake. Peanut.” Then her eyes went wide as she rolled over and started coughing up water. With a shaky breath, Laura rubbed her back, “Carm.” She said, “Hey. You’re Okay. You’re okay. At least. I assume you’re okay. Please be okay?”

Carmilla’s shoulders shook under her touch and Laura was alarmed for a moment but then she realized, Carmilla was laughing. “Laura,” she flipped over to stare up at them, “it’s the water of life! Of life!”

Her hand trembled as Carmilla caught it, pulling it to her chest and Laura almost crumpled at the never forgotten sensation under her fingertips. A heartbeat.

Fingers tangled in her own as Carmilla held her hand tight to her chest, “Maybe for humans it makes them immortal but I was already immortal. I didn’t need youth. Worse. I was dead.”

“So it gave you life.” Laura whispered.

Alex squirmed and Laura let her fall from her grasp to land on Carmilla’s stomach. The breath whooshed from her at the impact. For a moment Carmilla looked alarmed at the pain, then her face shifted to delight as she pulled Alex close.

Her word reverent, “I’m human again.”

Laura pulled her close, letting Carmilla and Alex sink into her embrace as she felt Carmilla’s heartbeat steady. Constant. There. “You’re human again.” She smiled, “And we didn’t even have to save the world this time.”

“Well,” Carmilla said, kissing Alex’s head, “I think the universe owed us a happily ever after.”

Laura laughed. Shook her head. Kissed Carmilla full on the mouth.

Alex pulled on the two of them after a moment, clearly sick of the kissing. “Mama. Cat. Pwease.” She demanded.

“Oh sweetie,” Laura said, “Mama can’t turn into-”

“Actually?” She glanced up to find Carmilla frowning. 

There was a poof and suddenly Laura was confronted with a panther holding the back of Alex’s shirt with it’s teeth. She squealed with delight. A second poof later and Carmilla was back.

Carmilla grinned, throwing Alex up on her shoulders while putting an arm around Laura’s waist, “That’s definitely a happy ending.”

**Author's Note:**

> While I don't mind vampire!Carm I was over the moon that we got human!hollstein SO IF THEY CAN USE A MOVIE TO RETCON THE SERIES THEN I CAN USE A FANFIC TO RETCON THEIR RETCON WHILE KEEPING EVERYTHING CANON TRUE. FIGHT ME. 
> 
> Story 99. What? How? I can't believe we ended up here!?! Cupcakes. Creampuffs. Your support has always been the driver as this series and even now, as I've started to borrow away to try and chip away at story 100, it's your comments, kudos and [ tumblr stop-ins](http://ariabauer.tumblr.com/) that make me smile. Thank you so much for your kindness and goodness and generosity. Stay stupendous. Aria.


End file.
